On the occasion of World and European Statistics Day, the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) organized today, October 20, 2025, a conference titled “Reliable Statistics for EU Accession: Advancing Chapter 18, Statistics on Albania’s Integration Journey.”
The event was organized with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and brought together representatives from international institutions, academia, the media, students, and key stakeholders in the field of statistics.
In her opening remarks, Director General of INSTAT, Mrs. Elsa Dhuli, emphasized the importance of this day as a moment of reflection on the role of official statistics in Albania’s path toward the European Union:
“This day gives us the opportunity to recognize the valuable contribution of statisticians and to highlight the importance of reliable data in Albania’s journey towards European integration. High-quality statistics are the foundation for evidence-based policies. Chapter 18 – ‘Statistics’ – is one of the fundamental chapters of the negotiations, and alignment with the European Statistical System encourages us to continuously improve. Trust in official statistics is essential for EU accession.”
The event was also addressed by H.E. Mrs. Ruth Huber, Ambassador of Switzerland to Albania, Mr. Adrian Kamenica, Director General of the Department for European Integration and Policy at the Prime Minister’s Office, Mrs. Ritva Heikkinen, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Albania.
An important part of the conference was the panel discussion, featuring Mrs. Milva Ekonomi, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Employment and Finance, Mrs. Argita Frashëri, Director of the Department of Financial Statistics, Bank of Albania, Prof. Dr. Fatbardh Sallaku, Rector of the Agricultural University of Tirana, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bernard Dosti, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana.
The discussion focused on the role of official statistics in the design and implementation of inclusive public policies, the strengthening of cooperation between INSTAT and other state and academic institutions, and the importance of statistical education in preparing future professionals who will contribute to Albania’s EU integration process.
The event continued with two presentations such as “Chapter 18 – Statistics: The Road towards EU Membership”, by Mrs. Vjollca Simoni, Director of the Directorate for European Integration and International Relations at INSTAT and “INSTAT GeoData Hub / WebGIS Platform”, by Mrs. Helda Mitre, Director of the General Directorate of Information Technology and Data Collection at INSTAT.
The World and European Statistics Day is an international initiative aimed at raising awareness of the key role that reliable statistics play in sustainable development and in building evidence-based policies.